Italian Language and Culture Programme in Rural Tuscany

  Italy

Term: Fall, Spring, Summer, Throughout the year, Trimester, Winter 
Dates: throughout the whole year

Description: In an increasingly small world, our mission is to bridge the gap between cultures through language education and cultural immersion; we strive to offer our students a genuine experience of Tuscan life. We are proud to host people of all ages from all over the globe, allowing our school to serve as an international point of exchange focused around the common interest of Italy and the Italian language.

In light of our mission, we are expanding our programs to other groups of university students. We believe that we can offer an ideal opportunity for a short-term study abroad experience and at the same time enrich our school with the energy and academic curiosity of your students.

We offer language lessons recognized by the Italian Ministry of Education and we are a member FIYTO-ALTO (Federation of International Youth Tourism Organizations Association of Language Travel Organizations). Our classes are taught by a team of highly qualified teachers.

We are also prepared to offer a wide variety of courses in other academic disciplines including: literature, film, art history, and archaeology, just to name a few. We take pride in the rigor and relevance of our classes; we believe that the academic challenge of our courses cultivates a deeper level of connection with the culture and simultaneously, the cultural immersion here in San Giovanni fuels dynamic learning in and out of the classroom. As a result, we also offer a plethora of electives for cultural appreciation. Through guided trips, cooking lessons, wine tasting, Italian films, and a network of welcoming host families, our students have the opportunity to discover a part of Tuscany that the tour groups never reach.

The school itself is located in San Giovanni Valdarno, a small town that provides an ideal window into Tuscan life. Removed from the throngs of tourists that crowd Florence, Il Sillabo students find themselves in the heart of Tuscany, rubbing elbows with the locals. We are just thirty minutes from Florence by train and three hours from Rome. The location allows us to lead guided tours to cities such as Florence, Siena, Pisa, Orvieto, and Perugia as afternoon or weekend outings.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Highlights: Il Sillabo is a family-run language school. Anna Paola Bosi, the director, started the school in 1997 with her sister-in-law, Erica. Both studied language and education at University and worked in the fields of education; Alessio, Anna Paola's husband, teaches cooking classes; her mother, Nicoletta, teaches Italian; her father, an art historian and architect, leads excursions; and her sister-in-law, Erica is the office manager. This highly-qualified team is professional and precise, while at the same time giving the school itself a palpable family atmosphere.

The school was started by teachers, and they know teaching. Anna Paola Bosi and her family ground every decision in their philosophy of education. The school's teachers are carefully selected and rigorously trained. All have exemplary qualifications. Professional development is a cornerstone of the teachers work; they plan, they research, and they collaboratively construct a unique curriculum together, under the careful guidance of the director. The result is a staff that uses the same teaching philosophy and the same curriculum, but instead of being passive transmitters of pre-made courses they adapt activities, tests, and lessons daily to adjust to the personality of each class. This level of professional engagement and commitment drives dynamic, rigorous classes, while at the same time the teachers take great pains to cultivate a relaxed supportive atmosphere where students feel comfortable taking risks.

Il Sillabo hosts students from all over the world. I've had classmates from China, Japan, Slovakia, Spain, Iceland, Scotland, Australia and Germany. As a result, the classes allow for a rich cultural exchange of ideas and perspectives, much needed the in midst of our current global instability. Another strength of Il Sillabo is its location. Tuscany is overrun with tourists, yet San Giovanni is a small Tuscan town where one can practice Italian without the competition of demanding tour groups. The Bosi family chose San Giovanni because it is off the beaten path while still providing a setting rich with culture and history. The school itself is housed in the oldest building in town, constructed for noble families in the 1300s. It overlooks the historic town centre and main piazza. San Giovanni is also easy to reach. San Giovanni is located on the Florence Rome line, 30 minutes from Florence, 30 minutes from Arezzo, and 3 hours from Rome. Siena, Cortona, Orvieto, and other tourist cities are also close by.

Il Sillabo has links to a nearby branch of Siena University here in San Giovanni. As part of an industrial revitalization project, a state-of-the-art facility was constructed on the site of an abandoned ceramics factory. The University is the leading institution for geological research in Italy. Through an agreement between schools, Il Sillabo has access to comfortable, newly restored student apartments, a computer center, as well as classes of geographic archaeology. The school offers a wide range of other courses in addition to Italian language. Alessio teaches a culinary course which explores the world-famous regional dishes of Tuscany. In addition, the school offers several guided trips each week to museums, churches, vineyards, and olive farms. Other courses include literature, film, archaeology, architecture, and art history.

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: please contact us

Credit Available: yes

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and World Wide Participants.

Participants Travel to Italy Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups of 15-25

Scholarships are Available.

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Job and Internship Network

Il Sillabo - School of Italian Language and Culture in Rural Tuscany's Mission Statement: To bridge the gap between cultures through language education and cultural immersion; we strive to offer our students a genuine experience of Tuscan life. We are proud to host people of all ages from all over the globe, allowing our school to serve as an international point of exchange focused around the common interest of Italy and the Italian language.

Year Founded: 1996